Page 43 of Highland Spirit

“Nay!” she spat. “I didna ken anythin’ about that, no matter if ye believe it or no’. I had to leave quickly and had no time to say guidbye. It was urgent. My family needed me.”

“And what about me, Lanny? Didna ye think I might have needed ye, too? And what about Isobel? Who does she think her faither is?”

“I never told her. Since she doesna have a faither, she decided he was dead. She doesna ask questions about it.”

“And does that make it right?” he challenged her.

“Nay,” she said, shaking her head, feeling guilty on so many levels. “I’m a horrible person for the things I’ve done to ye, but I had to make a choice that day and it changed my life in ways I never expected – and they werena guid. I did the only thing I could at the time. I was told my mathair’s life was in danger, my uncle had died, and my faither was runnin’ for his life. I swear, I didna ken it was goin’ to end up this way. I only hope someday ye will be able to forgive me.”

“When ye stop lyin’ to me, mayhap I will. But that is yet to be seen.”

“That’s the truth, Ethan. It is no’ a lie. Hold me,” she said, her body trembling, tears streaming down her face. “I need ye. Isobel needs ye. I am livin’ a life of hell and I dinna ken how to make things right.”

“Oh, Lanny,” he said, reaching out and resting his hands on her shoulders. “Ye ken it is my weakness when ye cry.”

“I never meant to hurt ye, Ethan. Ye’ve got to believe me.”

He looked into her eyes and sighed. “I might be the biggest fool to walk the earth, but I do believe ye, sweetheart. I see the turmoil in yer eyes. I dinna ken what ye are goin’ through but I want to help ye if I can. However, I canna do that if ye willna tell me everythin’.”

“I ken,” she said, knowing she should tell him more, but worried about his reaction. “I told ye that ye have a daughter, and yet ye dinna even seem to care.”

“Ye’re wrong,” said Ethan, holding her shoulders and looking into her eyes. “I am thrilled beyond measure that yer bairn is mine and no’ another man’s.”

“But do ye like her? Do ye think ye can learn to love Isobel someday?”

“I do. But I also want to tell ye that I never stopped lovin’ ye either.”

With that, he pulled her to him and kissed her passionately on the mouth. Her head fell back and her eyes closed as her body came to life under Ethan’s touch. Her lips parted slightly. As the kiss deepened, his tongue shot out and entered her mouth, making her almost cry out.

This reminded her so much of the first . . . and only time they’d made love. It was the day they’d gotten betrothed. They’d been celebrating and both had a little too much Mountain Magic that night. They should have waited until the wedding to couple, but neither of them could wait. They’d made love that night and it was the best night of her life. One time was all it took to create something so wonderful between them that she could barely even believe it happened.

His hands slid down her back and rested on her rear, making her warm up quickly. As he continued to kiss her, he gave her bottom end a little squeeze and his moan of pleasure vibrated against her lips. Alana melted in his arms. She’d missed this so much over the years that she’d dreamed about it almost every night. She always felt so protected when she was in Ethan’s arms. Protected, and loved.

“Lay with me, Ethan,” she begged him, gently reaching up and nibbling on his ear. When he shifted slightly and she leaned in closer to him, she felt the hard bulge beneath his plaid and knew he wanted it too.

“What did ye say, lassie?” He pulled back and looked into her eyes.

“I’m sorry for everythin’,” she said. “And I want ye to ken that I’ve never been with any other man but ye.”

“Really?” he asked, seeming surprised as well as pleased.

“I’ve been forced to make some choices that have made both of us miserable through the years. I –”

Her words were cut off when Ethan kissed her again, picking her up into his arms. “No more talkin’ tonight,” he said against her lips as he carried her over to the bed and lay her down upon it. “The way I see it, we have five years of catchin’ up to do.”

When tears of joy slipped down her cheeks, he reached out with his thumb and wiped her tears away.

“Do ye mean it?” she asked, her breathing becoming deep as she watched the rise and fall of her own chest. The thought of making love with Ethan already had her tingling from head to toe.

“I dinna want to see ye cry, lass. I just found out I have a daughter and I’d like to spend some intimate time with her mathair if ye dinna object.”

“I’d like that, Ethan,” she said, feeling like she didn’t deserve him, but happy that he decided he wanted her in this way after all. Mayhap she could find that happiness again that she’d known with Ethan when life was so much simpler and before her world had come crashing down around her.

“I dinna want to push, Lanny. But when ye are ready to tell me everythin’, I am here to listen. I want to ken. We have a lifetime to figure out the answers to our problems . . . together,” he told her, reaching out and untying the lacing on her bodice. “But right now, all of that can wait. There is somethin’ else I think this is long overdue.”

“I agree,” she whispered as he pulled open her bodice, reaching down and pressing his mouth against her skin at the base of her neck. Her body heated under his mouth – under his touch – as he left a trail of kisses down her cleavage, getting nearer and nearer to her breasts. The anticipation already had her breasts aching to be touched. She wanted him to suckle her and lick every part of her body.

“What’s this?” he asked, picking up the key she wore on a string around her neck along with their wedding ring. She had almost forgotten it was there.